Perceived publication pressure in Amsterdam: Survey of all disciplinary fields and academic ranks

PLoS One. 2019 Jun 19;14(6):e0217931. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217931. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Publications determine to a large extent the possibility to stay in academia ("publish or perish"). While some pressure to publish may incentivise high quality research, too much publication pressure is likely to have detrimental effects on both the scientific enterprise and on individual researchers. Our research question was: What is the level of perceived publication pressure in the four academic institutions in Amsterdam and does the pressure to publish differ between academic ranks and disciplinary fields? Investigating researchers in Amsterdam with the revised Publication Pressure Questionnaire, we find that a negative attitude towards the current publication climate is present across academic ranks and disciplinary fields. Postdocs and assistant professors (M = 3.42) perceive the greatest publication stress and PhD-students (M = 2.44) perceive a significant lack of resources to relieve publication stress. Results indicate the need for a healthier publication climate where the quality and integrity of research is rewarded.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Academic Performance / standards*
  • Academic Performance / trends
  • Bibliometrics
  • Employment
  • Humans
  • Publications / standards*
  • Publications / trends
  • Research
  • Research Personnel*
  • Research Report / standards
  • Research Report / trends
  • Social Sciences / standards
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities*

Grants and funding

LB, JT and TH were supported by the Templeton World Charity Foundation (https://www.templetonworldcharity.org/) under the grant #TWCF0163/AB106. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. TH was also partly supported by contributions from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam University Medical Centers. These institutions had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.